Philadelphia Union x New York Red Bulls

Despite the Union's initial dominance, it was the Red Bulls who struck first in the 11th minute, capitalizing on a fortuitous bounce. Omir Fernandez's initial shot was blocked by the tenacious Damion Lowe, but he pounced on the rebound and coolly slotted it past the goalkeeper to give his team the lead.

The Union's relentless pressure began to rattle the Red Bulls, and Andres Reyes found himself in hot water, receiving a yellow card for preventing a potential breakaway by Mikael Uhre. In the 28th minute, the Union capitalized on a set-piece opportunity. Kai Wagner's curling corner kick was met with a punch from Coronel, but the ball ricocheted off one of his own teammates. Glesnes pounced on the loose ball, threading it through a crowded box to level the score at 1-1.

Later on in the second half, Lowe outmuscled Reyes in the box to give the Union a 2-1 lead on an ensuing free kick header. The Union's one-goal lead swiftly transformed into a two-goal advantage as they seized possession and embarked on another exhilarating goal hunt. Alejandro Bedoya initiated the attack, claiming possession and launching a precision cross to the far side of the field, where Kai Wagner was waiting to pounce. With audacious skill, the left-back delivered a challenging pass that darted between a pair of Red Bulls defenders, finding its mark with pinpoint accuracy at the feet of Julian Carranza. Carranza unleashed a left-footed thunderbolt that seemed capable of tearing a hole through the back of the net, propelling the Union to a resounding 3-1 lead in a matter of moments.

Despite the Red Bulls' attempts to mount a comeback, the Union was firmly in control. They introduced Tai Baribo for his MLS debut, and Kai Wagner delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Daniel Gazdag, who calmly slotted the ball into the net, solidifying his place in club history with the second-most goals scored.

[Photography by ICONIC photographer Trey Madara]